1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buffer system of a system for mining deep seafloor mineral resources including a manganese nodule. More particularly, the present invention relates to a buffer system for mining deep seafloor mineral resources by performing a function of storing crushed minerals, which are mined, discharged, and transferred by a mining robot, into the buffer system, a function of introducing a specified amount of crushed minerals for flow assurance in a lifting process to transfer the crushed minerals in a slurry state from the buffer system to a surface boat through a lifting pipe, and a function of preventing a pendulum motion of the buffer system coupled to the lifting pipe.
2) Background of Related Art
Deep seafloor mineral resources mainly include manganese nodules, seafloor hydrothermal deposits, and manganese pavement. The deep seafloor mineral resources are in a market entry step for actual production.
In particular, the manganese nodules are polymetallic nodules containing copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), and manganese (Mn). Among the polymetallic nodules, Mn occupies the highest content. Generally, since a lump of Mn has the shape of a potato, the lump of Mn is called “manganese nodule”. The lump of Mn has a diameter of 40 mm to 60 mm on average, and has a concentric structure formed about a core of the manganese nodule, like a tooth of a shark, a fragment of the manganese nodule, and a stone
The manganese nodule has a great industrial value, so that studies on the commercial mining of Mn have been conducted in Ocean management incorporated (OMI) in the late 1970s. Regarding a mining system, various schemes have been suggested.
Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0664732 (issued on Dec. 27, 2006) discloses a buffer for mining deep seafloor minerals, which includes a frame 10 having a predetermined receiving space. An upper portion of the buffer communicates with a lifting pipe 40 fixedly installed on a ceiling of the frame 10 and coupled to a surface boat, and a lower portion of the buffer has a discharge port 22 used to discharge nodules. The buffer is provided at a lateral side thereof with a branch pipe 21 branching at a predetermined angle and having an end portion communicating with a flexible pipe 50. A lower end portion of the buffer in which the discharge port 22 is positioned is bent at a predetermined angle to prevent a structure from being damaged due to the discharge of the nodules. The buffer includes a connection pipe 20 coupled to a support plate 11, which is coupled to the frame 10 and supported to the frame 10, while passing through the support plate 11, so that the buffer can be stably supported. The buffer includes first and second check valves 21a and 22a installed on an inner circumference of the branch pipe at a branch position and an upper inner circumference of the discharge port 22 to move the nodule in one direction.
However, the related art does not suggest functions of storing crushed minerals, which are mined, discharged, and transferred by a mining robot, into a buffer system, of introducing a specified amount of crushed minerals for flow assurance in a lifting process to transfer the crushed minerals in a slurry state from the buffer system to a surface boat through a lifting pipe, and of preventing a pendulum motion of the buffer system coupled to the lifting pipe
As a prior art, there is provided Korean Patent Registration No. 10-0664732 (issued on Dec. 27, 2006).